John Decator '21 Recruiting Profile

First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to come and look at my profile. I have been swimming for as long as I can remember, but I began competitive swimming when I was about eight. Once I first hit the water, I knew that this was going to be the sport that I loved. It might not always be fun, and it hurts at times, but it always helps in the endgame. I met both of my current coaches, high school and my club coach, as a freshman in high school. They have been with me ever since and have done a tremendous amount to help me achieve my goals.

Unfortunately for me, my state cancelled the state finals and subsequently our regional meet in Indiana last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the shutdowns, I took to working out at home with a temporary pool and drylands to further my training.  This included  daily runs, work outs every day, and eating healthy along with avoiding fast food. I did my own drylands from Swim Swam news and created my own workouts. We have also purchased additional equipment that continue to allow me to stay fit during these times.  

As of last semester I have a 3.97 GPA cumulative out of 4 and earned a 4.28 last semester. Academically, I have taken every advanced math class offered at my school since 6th grade, AP courses in US History, Government and Computer Science, and Engineering classes in the STEM curriculum. It is a small school so AP and IB offerings are not as broad as the schools in a metropolitan area. I was not originally able to take the SAT last spring due to COVID-19 but traveled out of area to take it in the fall of 2020 with a cumulative score of 1320.

What makes me different from other recruits is my strong sense of determination and sportsmanship. Last year I earned my team's sportsmanship award on the high school team and I have had friendships grow out of just talking to a person once or twice on other teams. I always do my best to make the best of a bad situation, this includes supporting both my teammates and classmates whenever they need help. By doing all of this, it led to my high school team to naming me the sole captain for this season.

This season was also compromised with a shortened season and fall shutdowns, however my conditioning and training have paid off as I have continued to drop time bettering last year’s bests without tapering.  I primarily excel at the 100 Butterfly, 200 IM and the Medley relay and anchor the Freestyle relays. I am also regularly in the 200 Butterfly, the 100 Breaststroke, and the 50, 100, 200, and 500 Freestyle events. Currently I am swimming :48 sec 100 Free and :52 sec 100 Fly times, all with our State and Sectional meets yet to come. Currently I am not participating in any weight training however, my coach is starting me on a weight training regimen which will contribute to future time drops.

While I may not always be the fastest, I always work my hardest to improve and grow stronger. I love a challenge because it makes me push myself to see just how well I can do. I have gone from swimming on a city summer recreational team, to a club team, to my high school team, and finally to a more advanced club where I am today. Each time I raised the goals I had for myself to work harder and become better.  In school I am on track for a 4.0 again this semester, and in scouting I set my sights and became an Eagle Scout a few years ago and currently remain an Assistant Scoutmaster.

For college, I want to find a school with a strong engineering program to help me achieve my goals in both athletics and academics. This will allow me to compete and prepare for life after college. I will always work my hardest and set big goals, so I always have something to be working towards. Thank you for reading and I appreciate any opportunities that I can earn.